Russian, US MPs to hold regional consultation at Duma

MOSCOW, June 29 (Itar-Tass) - Foreign affairs committees of Russia's
State Duma and the U.S. House of Representatives will hold a joint meeting
in Moscow on Monday.
The Russian-U.S. parliamentary consultation "will discuss traditional
and pressing issues of bilateral relations in the context of the upcoming
summit," the head of Russia's foreign affairs committee, Konstantin
Kosachev, told reporters. Special attention will be paid to regional
security, arms control and humanitarian issues, in particular adoption of
Russian children in the United States.
High on the consultation' agenda will be deployment of the U.S.'
missile defence shield, a new strategic arms reduction deal, Russia-NATO
cooperation, problems of trade and economic cooperation, including the
Jackson-Vanik amendment, the committee's first deputy head, Leonid
Slutsky, said.
"We hope that the consultation with U.S. parliamentarians will be
effective and constructive and will lay the groundwork for the meeting of
the two countries' leaders in early July," he said.
He noted that during their two-day stay in Moscow U.S. congressmen
will also meet with Russian diplomats, including Foreign Minister Sergei
Lavrov.